Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Senator Obama is NOT a Dirty Muslim! - - Updated

"What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge," says Mr. Obama, while denouncing statements of him being a Muslim as a smear. Why is the presidential candidate who claims to be religiously inclusive is treating the word "Muslim" as an insult? Apparently, it is OK for Mr. Obama to be associated with terrorists like William Ayers or racists like Jeremiah Wright, but God forbid somebody would call him a Muslim! No, he won't stand for that kind of smear! We admit that most terrorists are Muslims, but most Muslims are not terrorists and the statement on Mr. Obama's website is insulting to hundreds of millions of people.

How could a man who discards his family heritage in favor of political expediency be even considered for presidency of the United States? Where are all the so-called "Islamic civil rights groups" like CAIR, MPAC, ISNA, MAS, etc. who are quick to defend every Islamic terrorist, but are silent when Muslims in general are being denigrated? Would Mr. Obama have the same reaction if someone claimed that he was raised as a Jew? We sincerely doubt that.

"In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans, for example, have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. They have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific reassurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction."

Barack Obama, "The Audacity of Hope", page 261.

Well, the political winds did shift in an ugly direction. Is equating "Muslim" with "smear" Obama's idea of "stand[ing] with [Muslims]?

Muslims Against Sharia demand immediate removal of "SMEAR: Barack Obama is a Muslim" statement from the official Barack Obama's website as well as an apology for giving the word "Muslim" a negative connotation.

Major update:

Obama changes "SMEAR: Barack Obama is a Muslim" to "SMEAR: Barack Obama is secretly a Muslim" as well as removes his pledge not to use religion as a wedge from site's header.

Update for dummies:Do we think Obama is a Muslim? - NoDo we think Obama was a Muslim? - Highly unlikelyDo we care one way or the other? - No

Update for real dummies:Please do keep "others do it too" arguments out. For the purpose of this discussion, we concede that Muslims Against Sharia and all their affiliates may be the "worst people in the world." However, it doesn't change the fact that "SMEAR: Barack Obama is a Muslim" statement is a manifestation of anti-Muslim bigotry.

Does statement "SMEAR: Barack Obama is a Muslim" denigrate Muslims?

I am a Muslim

Yes

No

I am not a Muslim

Yes

No

Does statement "SMEAR: John McCain is a Jew" denigrate Jews? *

I am a Jew

Yes

No

I am not a Jew

Yes

No

* There is no such statement on John McCain's website. The reason for second poll is to show that equating belonging to any religion with smear is offensive regardless of religion or candidate.